Category Archives: Republican

Republicans, conservatives, libertarians and people of traditional faith love to whine about the policies they believe are destroying the America they love. Isnt it just awful what the liberals and the far-left have done to our nation with their socialist policies, they say to each other, wringing their hands, before going about their daily lives.

After the 2020 election legally won by President BidenJoe BidenBiden eyes bigger US role in global vaccination efforts Trump says GOP will take White House in 2024 in prepared speech Kemp: Pulling All-Star game out of Atlanta will hurt business owners of color MORE egged-on by former President TrumpDonald TrumpHarry Reid reacts to Boehner book excerpt: 'We didn't mince words' Man arrested for allegedly threatening to stab undercover Asian officer in NYC Trump says GOP will take White House in 2024 in prepared speech MORE and some of his loyalists, their cry became: Look what the far-left media and their allies in Big Tech did to us!

All this has been heaped upon their constant complaints about the disgraceful far-left bias in the media, academia, entertainment and, of late, science and medicine.

Since before I entered the Reagan White House in 1987, I have been listening to such incessant whining. Poor us, they cry, We Americans who believe in God, the rule of law, sovereign and protected borders, a strong military, smaller government, lower taxes and personal accountability. What are we to do in the face of such unfairness?

What they generally do is howl at the moon.

If Republicans, conservatives and people of traditional faith truly believe the left has come to dominate the media, entertainment, academia, science and medicine, then they should take steps to change that.

Almost a quarter-century ago, I sat down with my old boss, former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, to discuss this reality and the political and power-balancing enigma. Back then, long before tech giants Google, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube came to dominate society, Dole the former Senate majority leader and Republican presidential and vice presidential nominee was honestly astounded that more ultra-wealthy Republicans and conservatives were not getting into the media and entertainment fields. What we were told then was that those fields either did not fit their business models or that they might adversely affect their bottom lines.

As Dole and I discussed, commonsense and pragmatism dictates that not having a voice in the largest megaphones of our nation the media, entertainment and academia is a losing strategy destined to create negative consequences for those trying to advance conservative or faith-based thought or arguments.

It can most certainly be argued that, for the past few decades, the left has come to dominate these fields, as well as science and medicine. And in some ways, liberals should be congratulated for achieving such dominance. That said, none of it happened in a vacuum or in the dead of night. It was all done with everyones eyes wide open including people who later morphed into complainers about the unfairness of it all, but who voluntarily chose to do nothing at the time. For whatever reason, they looked away while those on the left went about their business creating amazing high-tech achievements such as Google, Amazon and social media platforms.

Now, some on the right want to scream, How dare those liberal entrepreneurs espouse the political or ideological thoughts they believe in, on sites they created, while blocking some they disagree with! Ah, but isnt it basic human nature to exercise control over a private company in which one has invested his or her blood, sweat and tears to create?

The last time I checked, there were thousands of Republican, conservative, libertarian and traditional faith-based millionaires, multimillionaires and billionaires who have amassed collective wealth exceeding $1 trillion. Surely thats enough money to invest in a few newspapers, fund television networks, start a few universities or create some Big Tech sites of their own.

Its time for the right to stop playing victim and put their money where they swear their values lie. If not, those who are complaining should put a cork in it.

Douglas MacKinnon, a political and communications consultant, was a writer in the White House for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and former special assistant for policy and communications at the Pentagon during the last three years of the Bush administration.

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Republicans and conservatives are to blame for the America they decry | TheHill - The Hill

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) President Joe Biden unveiled limited executive action targeting gun violence on Thursday.

The announcement is drawing criticism from leading Tennessee lawmakers who see pending gun control measures as a way to strip 2nd Amendment rights.

And the state of Tennessee will meet the DC thugs at our border, Representative Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) said on Twitter.

On Thursday, the Republican House Caucus Chairman attempted to walk back the tweet.

Well, thats obviously me just being colorful with my speech number one, Faison said.

The comment comes as mass shootings are on the rise, according to gunviolencearchive.org, and in the shadow of a deadly capitol insurrection.

If D.C. or the White House starts to do a gun grab or anything that we would view as in the state as something thats not constitutional or goes against what we as a state believes is our gun rights and our constitutional rights, we will fight it as hard as we can with everything we have, Faison said, later pointing to combating the issues on guns with the federal government legislatively.

Democrats say the rhetoric should be tampered down.

I dont really think that theres any place for inflammatory rhetoric like that, said Senator Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville), Everybody in America has just experienced one of the most high conflict periods over the last 6 months, and I think its time to bring the temperature down and actually focus on how we solve a problem instead of trying to exchange insults or threats.

The measures from President Biden include rules to combat ghost guns and publishing red flag laws for states to adopt.

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) says theres rhetoric on all sides.

Is there appropriate rhetoric coming out of D.C. or coming out of other states, I mean we can have that discussion amongst what everybody is saying, Sexton said.

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Republican lawmaker on Bidens executive gun action: Tennessee will meet the DC thugs at our border - WKRN News 2

In a whirlwind two weeks where several women alleged a toxic environment, prompting widespread rebukes and the abrupt resignation of the chairman, another imbroglio has emerged in the Salt Lake County Republican Party, just one day before its delegates are set to elect new leadership.

Friday morning, former Utah GOP state chair Rob Anderson sent an email to Chris Null, calling on him to withdraw his candidacy for county chair. Anderson alleged Null used his position on the county partys executive committee to give himself an unfair advantage in Saturdays convention, where party delegates will choose a new chair. Andersons wife, Kathleen, is also running for county party chair.

I know first hand how important it is for party officers to remain neutral and act fairly in any election. Fairness makes an uncomfortable campaign experience more tolerable and pleasant, Anderson wrote, going on to accuse Null of blatantly cross[ing] the line of election fairness and integrity.

As an example, Anderson pointed to a 7 p.m., April 8 deadline for party candidates to submit campaign videos. An attached screenshot apparently shows Null was not among those who submitted a video. When Anderson emailed acting chair Scott Rosenbush about it, Rosenbush explained the 7 p.m. deadline is not part of the partys official convention rules, according to more screenshots.

I do not think I need to explain the unfair advantage a candidate would have when they are allowed to tweak their message after being able to review their opponents campaign videos who were submitted on time, Anderson wrote in his email to Null, which was copied to Rosenbush. Perhaps youve heard of an election scandal called Watergate?

Anderson also took issue with a candidate meet-and-greet scheduled for Friday evening, sharing an email from Null asking candidates to send donations to his Venmo account and a screenshot of an event page showing Null as the organizer.

Screenshot courtesy Robert Anderson.

Having pondered these realities overnight, its evident you have had more than your foot on the scale of a fair campaign and election. You have been running the show, Anderson wrote. The lack of integrity on your part is unfair and unRepublican.

Anderson further called Null culpable for a culture of bullying, threats and campaign interference that came to light in a Salt Lake Tribune report late last month. Ahead of the storys publication, then-chair Scott Miller wrote a scathing email naming all of the women coming forward with allegations, questioning their motives and accusing them of trying to cancel him. Miller resigned his county party post less than 24 hours after the story published, but he is still running for state party chair.

You, as a sitting member of the executive committee, failed to take action on allegations of sexual misconduct until external force was applied by a Salt Lake Tribune reporter, Anderson wrote to Null. I believe you and every member of the executive committee failed to do your due duty.

Reached by phone, Null said he did his best to ensure neutrality for the upcoming party convention, despite the many challenges brought by Millers departure and the resignation of other members of the executive committee.

Normally you have two months to prepare. When Scott resigned, everything fell apart, Null said.

Regarding the videos, Null said he personally asked for the deadline so hed have enough time to post them before the convention.

It wasnt a deadline based on rules, it was a deadline so I could get everything up on YouTube, Null said.

He added that he hasnt watched Kathleen Andersons video and that shed uploaded it to her Facebook page before the deadline anyway.

Null said that he created the meet-and-greet in his role as social media manager and didnt realize his name was attached to it as organizer. If he deleted the event under his name, it would appear canceled, Null said. He added that he intended to have someone take over his social media and web duties ahead of the convention, but with all the departures in recent weeks, available volunteers were spread too thin.

When the others quit, they had to take over other positions, Null said. Bottom line, there was no one available to do what I do.

Rosenbush, the acting chair, confirmed that he asked Null to continue with his duties.

We tried to find somebody who could pick up those responsibilities and we were unable to do so, Rosenbush said, also confirming that Null did not violate any convention rules with the video deadline.

Rosenbush added that he worked with Null to find other sponsors for the meet-and-greet to remove any perception that he was the event organizer.

I think that Rob [Anderson]s concern was more about perception or optics rather than any proactively improper acts, Rosenbush said.

Kathleen Anderson, Nulls opponent, stood by her husbands accusations.

I dont believe it was intentional ... but that doesnt excuse it. A clear violation has occurred, they have violated neutrality, she said. If we cant keep our own house in order, we have no business expecting that enforced elsewhere.

The candidate said shes worried about a national trend where people have trouble discerning the truth, and that picking and choosing which rules apply adds to public confusion.

The rules just need to be followed, period, she said. Im committed to doing just that. I believe in full transparency.

Null said he spoke to Kathleen Anderson shortly after receiving her husbands email to discuss the allegations, which she confirmed. Null called the conversation amicable and said he was disappointed the Andersons decided to take the claims further.

Were doing everything to keep our heads above the water. For Kathleen to show up now and complain, not try to help she never once reached out and said hey, what can I do? Null said. Thats just not helpful. Its just not how the party needs to run.

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One candidate for Salt Lake County Republican chair is accusing an opponent of using his insider status to give himself an unfair edge. - Salt Lake...

Theres little question that the media is one of the least trusted institutions in Republican circles.

In the past two decades, trust in traditional media has plummeted especially among Republicans. According to polling from Gallup, since at least the late 1990s, Republicans have been less likely than Democrats (and independents) to say they trust the media. But starting in 2015, trust among Republicans took a nosedive, falling from 32 percent to 10 percent in 2020. (Meanwhile, among Democrats, trust in the media has actually climbed back up, and by quite a bit.)

Part of this is because Republicans are often more vocal in their criticism of the media and have long perceived it as having a liberal bias. But now they are also more likely to say that being anti-media is part of their political identity, and this is likely driving the staggering gap in media trust that we are seeing.

Lets start with Republicans media habits. In our fractured media ecosystem, its not uncommon for both Republicans and Democrats to seek out news sources that reinforce their political beliefs. And as a new study finds, exposure to media that is partisan whether liberal or conservative reduces peoples overall trust in the mainstream press regardless of political party. But what sets Republicans apart at this point is their steady reliance on just one source for all their news: Fox News.

In its study of the media landscape in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election cycle, the Pew Research Center found that of the 30 news sources it asked about, only Fox News was trusted by a majority of Republicans. (Republicans second-most-trusted source, ABC News, wasnt even a close second: 33 percent said they trusted ABC News for political and election news compared with 65 percent who trusted Fox News.) This finding stands in stark contrast with the views of Democrats, who said they trusted a variety of news sources, and it marks a further decline in Republicans trust of other news sources since Pew last conducted a similar survey in 2014.

This is in part because animosity toward the other party is at an all-time high and Republicans increasingly associate the news media with the Democratic Party. That means they are more likely to dismiss a source that isnt Fox News (or One America News Network or Newsmax) as politically biased. For example, in a January YouGov/American Enterprise Institute poll among people who said they voted for then-President Trump in 2020, a staggering 92 percent strongly or somewhat agreed that the mainstream media today is just a part of the Democratic Party.

This distrust, and Republicans growing animosity toward the media, is significant because theyre already isolated news consumers. And studies have shown that when news consumers exist in a media bubble, they can be hostile toward news that doesnt match their political beliefs. (It also means they can be too trusting of their preferred news outlets.) Plus, as Jonathan Ladd, a Georgetown University public policy and government professor and the author of Why Americans Hate the Media and How It Matters, points out, Republicans are getting the message from Fox News (and the broader conservative media ecosystem) that the mainstream media cant be trusted. This isnt new, Ladd said, but he added that the conservative medias continued criticism of the press has been kicked into high gear by the modern Republican Party.

Take what happened in the Trump era. During both his campaign for the presidency and his four years in office, Trump openly attacked the media, calling journalists or news organizations critical of him or his administration fake news. Consequently, his supporters existing perceptions of media bias and distrust of news organizations intensified this was especially true among his white supporters, who are more likely to consume exclusively conservative media. For instance, at many of Trumps campaign events, his supporters would disparage, attack and threaten the press. And now, when Trumps supporters disagree with a fact, they can decry it as fake news whether it be crowd size or election results.

Hostility and distrust of the news media, in other words, has become a point of political identity among Republicans. We see this especially in how people talk about politics online. Take, for instance, a recent study of tweets mentioning fake news. Over the course of 15 months, study authors Jianing Li and Min-Hsin Su of the University of Wisconsin-Madison found an uptick in the number of tweets that used the words we or our and they or their in conjunction with the phrase fake news. Essentially, the researchers concluded that online discussions about fake news were a way for conservatives to create a sense of group belonging (This is the worst kind of fake news possible. We have to stop this sort of thing) while also establishing a shared enemy (Fake News Media is a Hate Group. They hate President Trump). The use of pronouns that signify group belonging (like we) and group opposition (like they) are useful on social media platforms, like Twitter, where users interact with strangers. Even though users might not know one another personally, they are still attempting to cultivate a community, which is certainly true of users who tweet about politics.

Another study that looked at trust in news media, by University of California, Berkeley, political scientists Taeku Lee and Christian Hosam, found that this attitude, independent of partisanship, helped predict a number of political opinions, such as support for a pathway to citizenship and affirmative action. But arguably, what was more consequential is that over time (from 2016 to 2019), the role of media distrust in opinion formation shifted such that individuals who distrust the media more consistently consolidated around Trump. Essentially, that media distrust now operates as a basis for Americans to sort themselves into political tribes, according to Lee. And as their study suggests, fake news functions as a shibboleth, or a way for Trump supporters to distinguish themselves, ideologically, even from other Republicans. It is possible that a new form of conservatism is likely brewing with media distrust being one of its biggest factors, Hosam told me.

So, why is being anti-media so central to the Republican identity? Its not a coincidence that, against a backdrop of growing partisan animosity, Republicans distrust of the media is increasing as they grow more suspect that it leans Democratic. But its more than that, too. As Hosam explains, what Trump does is connect that type of opposition to the media into a form of conservatism that just wasnt around before. And one byproduct of that is that media distrust is more central to conservatives group identity than it was before Trump. Or, as Lee put it, signaling media distrust is much the same as wearing a red MAGA cap.

As a researcher, Hosam admits that this can make studying distrust of the media a complicated topic, since distrust has shifted from an attitude about the institution itself to a credential of conservatism. Now its even more difficult to know what people are really getting at when they talk about the media what media diets and trust in the media are truly telling us. And for many Republicans, that might mean distrust of the media is better thought of as a way to understand the centrality of their partisanship to their identity.

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Why Being Anti-Media Is Now Part Of The GOP Identity - FiveThirtyEight

Three Republicans voted for Democrats policing overhaul last Congress, one of whom has since retired. The other two, Michigans Fred Upton and Pennsylvanias Brian Fitzpatrick, said at the time they wouldnt support a final bill, negotiated with the Senate, unless it included a compromise on ending qualified immunity, which shields law enforcement officials from legal accountability for actions performed on the job.

The measure stalled in the GOP-led Senate last Congress, but Upton and Fitzpatrick hoped suggestions they made during negotiations with lead House sponsor Karen Bass would prompt changes in the qualified immunity provision this Congress.

We made really, really good progress. And it was all for naught because they didnt take any of it, Upton told CQ Roll Call. So I said, here they are, coming back with the same bill. They didnt take the things that were working on, and so Im not going to be part of it.

Fitzpatrick, a former FBI special agent, said in a statement: If this legislation is recklessly implemented, there is no question that it would, in turn, do significant damage to the law enforcement profession and ultimately make communities across our nation less safe.

Bass said she never committed to changing the provision but wasnt upset about their stances. I understood why they switched their votes, and so its not a problem, the California Democrat said.

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Why some Republicans switched votes on bills they previously supported - Roll Call

WASHINGTON President Joe Biden on Wednesday will take to the lectern inPittsburgha city known for steel, factories and thetowering bridges crisscrossing its downtown to pitch thesecond signature proposal in his young presidency, a massiveinfrastructure and jobs plan that would cost $2 trillion.

But before Biden even offered specifics of his aims to fix the nation's roads, bridges and railways, Republicans he'll need to work with in Congress panned it, claiming it goes too far beyond traditional infrastructure spending andcomparingits climate aspectsto the Green New Deal.

Republicans arguethe package should be limited to transportation, broadband internet and other basics, not green energy like Biden has touted since he was a candidate. Biden doesn't want to just fix roads, Republicans warn, he wants to upend American life.

They've also balked at raising taxes long a sticking point for Republicans to get behind big-ticket Democratic programs. To find bipartisan support, the president will have to convince skepticalRepublicans to support an increase of the corporate tax rateto pay for infrastructure and a wide-range of other spending.

These dynamics foreshadowa possible repeat of Biden's first majorlegislative victory earlier this month,when he won approval of a$1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, the American Rescue Plan, without a single Republican supporter in Congress.

"What taxes are the Republicans who want infrastructure spending for?"saidMatt Grossman, who heads the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University. "I think the answer is not many. And if so, they won't be ones that Democrats are likely to support. So that, right off the top, limits the potential for bipartisanship pretty fundamentally."

More: Biden putting final touches on potential $3 trillion economic, infrastructure package as Buttigieg heads to the Hill

Biden is set to unveil his long-discussed infrastructure plan in his Pittsburgh speech. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said his proposal in addition to addressing roads, bridges, railways and broadband willincludespending onmanufacturing, research and development and"the caregiving economy."She said the president also has a "plan to pay for it," which he will unveil.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House on Tuesday.Evan Vucci, AP

The White House has billedthe proposalas a way to create "good-paying union jobs" and a "first step" toward economic recovery amid the coronavirus pandemic. A second proposal in Biden's "Build Back Better" agenda addressing health care, education andchild care is expected in April.

To build their case forthe large infusion of domestic spending,theWhite House saidthe U.S. ranks 13th globally in infrastructure quality, down from fifth in 2002, and significantly lags rival superpower China in infrastructure spending. More than one-third of America's bridges need repairs and one in every five highways are in poor condition.

"We know that 80%or more of people in this country, Democrats and Republicans, supportinvesting in infrastructure,"Psaki said.

YetRepublican lawmakershave spent recent days fine-tuningtheir attacks.

Were hearing the next few months might bring a so-called 'infrastructure' proposal that may actually be a Trojan horse for massive tax hikes and other job-killing left-wing policies," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said from the Senate floor last week.

More: Republicans tell Buttigieg that Biden's infrastructure bill should focus on roads, rail, ports - not climate or social justice

His office seized on recent comments from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.,likeningthe proposal to the Green New Deal, a sweeping environmental effort pushed by Democrats to fight climate change. "Sold as an infrastructure plan," warned Scott Sloofman, a top McConnellaide, it "actually intends to reshape the U.S. economy and other parts of American life."

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.J. Scott Applewhite, AP

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R.-W.Va., the leading Republican on the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, said she's "very disappointed" the plan could includesocialprograms in addition to infrastructure.

"They're terming it 'social infrastructure.' Never heard that before," Capito said, predicting a hard legislative fight. "I think we need to talk to the American people and say, 'Is this what you envision with infrastructure? Arethese job creators? Are were-engineering our own social fabric here with a 50-vote majority?'"

House Republicans warnedBiden's transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, last week that any plan that strays from core transportation priorities to one that tackles climate change and social justice won't get GOP support.

"I don't think the bill can grow into a multi-trillion-dollar catch-all," said Missouri Rep. Sam Graves, the top Republican on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. "A transportation bill needs to be a transportation bill, not a Green New Deal. It needs to be about roads and bridges."

Former President Donald Trump repeatedly promised an infrastructure package but never delivered one.

Democrats could choose to pass the infrastructure legislation in the Senate through budget reconciliation just like they did Biden's COVID-19 relief bill known as theAmerican Rescue Plan which would require justa simple majority in the evenly split chamberand therefore no Republican votes.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg attends an event titled Transforming Rail in Virginia at the Amtrak-VRE station Tuesday in Alexandria, Virginia.Win McNamee, Getty Images

More:A gas tax? A mileage tax? Biden wary of user fees to pay for roads, bridges and highways

In an interview Monday on CNN, Buttigieg said he think there's "a tremendous opportunity nowto havebipartisan support for a big, bold vision of infrastructure," arguingAmericans "don't need a lot of selling" on the issue.He also defended the inclusion of green investments in the infrastructure package.

"You can't separate the climate part from this vision," he said, "because every road we fix, every bridge we build, we can either do it in a way that's better for the climate or worse for the climate.Why wouldn't we want to be creating these jobs in a way that's better for the climate?"

Buttigieg said he thinks the administration can get Republican votes on infrastructure in Congress, adding "we're going to work with them to try shape it in a way that earns as much support as possible."

"At the the same time," he said,"the American people can't wait."

To pay for the sweeping package,Biden wants to make large corporations pay more taxes. According to an administration official, hewill propose increasing the corporate tax rate to 28% resetting to the its level before passage of President Donald Trump's tax cuts in 2017 and overhauling how the U.S. taxes multinational corporations by increasing the minimum tax on U.S. corporations to 21%.

The White House this weekeliminated user fees, such as an increase to the gas tax or road tax, to pay for the infrastructure plan.

"People might have different ideas about how to pay for it," Psaki said. "We're open to hearing them. So hopefully people will bring forward ideas."

Clouds hang over the skyline of downtown Pittsburgh, the Rachel Carson Bridge, and the Allegheny River on Friday, March 18, 2016.Gene J. Puskar, AP

A poll this month from The Hill-HarrisX found 54%of American voters believe an infrastructure package should be a priority right now for the federal government, compared to 46%who said other issues should. Sixty percent of Democrats, 54%of independentsand 46% of Republicans agreedinfrastructure should be prioritized.

"To have a bill like this that can generate jobs, help improve transportation, and infrastructure in general is a win-win all around," saidDavid Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. "Paying for it, obviously, is going to be the sticking point for Republicans."

Green energy investments are also popular among thepublic, according to Grossman. And while polls generally find opposition to raising the federal tax on gas to pay for infrastructure, the public gives higher marks to raising taxes forcorporations and higher-income individuals

"In that sense, this developing bill does have the potential to at least start out with bipartisan support in the public," Grossmansaid.

Such a scenariowould be also reflect thedynamics of Biden's COVID-19 relief bill,which multiple polls found was backed by more than 70% of Americans.

But as Biden learned, that doesn't mean Republicans in Congress will jump on board.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called an infrastructure package the the best chance for Republicans and Democrats to do something together, saying Everybody needs roads and bridges and ports.

But he added: We just want to make sure its related to infrastructure.

Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.

Northam signs agreements for major rail expansion

Gov. Ralph Northam has finalized agreements with executives at Amtrak, CSX and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) that pave the way for a $3.7 billion dollar rail expansion in Virginia during the next decade. (March 30)

AP

Published8:52 pm UTC Mar. 30, 2021Updated9:27 am UTC Mar. 31, 2021

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Biden is pitching a big infrastructure plan, but Republicans already panned it as going too far - USA TODAY

Similarly, in the 2014 case Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, the Supreme Court held that businesses seeking a religious exemption from a law may have it holding, for the first time, that such exemptions may be allowed even when they diminish the rights of others. That case permitted employers with religious objections to birth control to deny contraceptive coverage to their employees, even though a federal regulation required employer-provided health plans to cover contraception.

Before Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the Supreme Court, however, a majority of the justices were very reluctant to grant religious exemptions to state regulations seeking to limit the spread of Covid-19. Yet after she became a justice, the courts new majority started granting such exemptions to churches that wanted to defy public health orders.

Its plausible that the Republican Party did not campaign on its old legislative agenda in 2020 because it was busy rebranding itself. Under Mr. Trump, Republicans attracted more working-class voters, while Democrats made gains in relatively affluent suburbs. So Mr. Ryans plans to ransack programs like Medicaid arent likely to inspire the partys emerging base.

And yet the courts conservative majority is still pushing an agenda that benefits corporations and the wealthy at the expense of workers and consumers.

Its easy to see why government-by-judiciary appeals to Republican politicians. Theres no constituency for forced arbitration outside of corporate boardrooms. But when the court hands down decisions like Circuit City or Epic Systems, those decisions often go unnoticed. Employers score a major policy victory over their workers, and voters dont blame the Republican politicians who placed conservative justices on the court.

Judges can also hide many of their most consequential decisions behind legal language and doctrines. One of the most important legal developments in the last few years, for example, is that a majority of the court called for strict new limits on federal agencies power to regulate the workplace, shield consumers and protect the environment.

In Little Sisters v. Pennsylvania (2020), the court signaled that its likely to strike down the Department of Health and Human Servicess rules requiring insurers to cover many forms of medical care including birth control, immunizations and preventive care for children. And in West Virginia v. E.P.A. (2016), the court shut down much of the E.P.A.s efforts to fight climate change.

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Opinion | Republicans Have an Agenda All Right, and They Dont Need Congress for It - The New York Times

Yettheres little evidence these transplants are the sole, or even the driving,cause of Texass approaching swing-state status. As the Houston Press wrote last year, It is utter nonsenseto assume that every person coming here is some wide-eyed socialist hippie whodreams of high taxes and replacing Whataburgers with soy patties. Another write-up noted that it wassignificantly reductive to ascribe Texass leftward lurch to these new arrivals.

Indeed,theres a kind of cognitive dissonance at play in the Texas rights claim thatthe sole reason for the states political shift is wayward Californians. Afterall, shouldnt these uprooted Californians be fleeing the supposedly failedsocialist policies in California? Why would they be bringing these left-leaningpolicies with them? Are California politicians secretly plotting to spread theseeds of socialism wherever the roots of liberty run deep?

Thiswillingness to pin Texass political changes on an influx of liberals acts as akind of cover, or an excuse, for a state Republican Party unwilling to face newgenerations and demographics of Texans disgusted by the partys Trumpian turn.Younger Texans, nonwhite Texans, second-generation Americans whose immigrantparents selected Dallas and Houston and El Paso as the place to raise theirfamilyall of these contingents are increasingly sloughing off the outdated imagesof Texas that prep schoolers like Roy and Rodimer cling to. Its these true-nativeTexans who are refashioning those tiredtropes,all while steering the state leftward, toward a more multiethnic polity aimedsquarely against the authoritarian rot at the heart of the Texas RepublicanParty.

Buttheres one more irony at the heart of these far-right transplants attemptingto claim the mantle of Texanness. When the state first began convulsing towardindependence in the 1830s, the states residents broke into two camps. On theone end was a multiracial cohort composed of older Anglos and most of thestates Tejanos, content to remain within the anti-slavery republic of Mexico.On the other end was a contingent of young, transplanted Anglos, comprising theso-called War Party.

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The Republican Poseurs Who Claim to Be True Texans - The New Republic

Former Republican state Sen. Peter Lucido is accused of using the power of his newly elected role as the Macomb County prosecutor to grind a political axe with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Hes accused Whitmer of crimes related to her handling of nursing home patients and asked relatives of patients whove died of COVID-19 in nursing homes to file wrongful death lawsuits.

Now a trio of legal ethics experts are accusing Lucido of violating his Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct and conflict-of-interest ethics standards.

Mr. Lucido may have been within his rights to use the tools of his office to advance his cause, but his actions as a prosecutor raise serious questions under the rules governing the legal profession and the prosecutors office, said a complaint filed with the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission Monday, March 29. In light of his public pronouncements regarding the guilt of a potential defendant prior to an investigation, Mr. Lucidos continued involvement in this matter implicates a conflict of interest between his personal political interests and the duties of a prosecutor ... "

The complaint is filed by Larry Dubin, former chairman of the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission and a law professor at University of Detroit Mercy; Claire Finkelstein, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Richard Painter, a law professor at the University of Minnesota.

They claim if Lucido doesnt recuse himself from any criminal investigation related to the nursing home issue he may be in violation of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct that guide legal professionals in the state.

It was one thing for Mr. Lucido to make such allegations as a politician; (its) quite another thing for him to do so as a prosecutor, the complaint said. We urge the Commission to investigate Mr. Lucidos behavior for violations of his duties in his capacity as a prosecutor for Macomb County.

Despite calls for a criminal investigation into Whitmers handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, Lucido previously told MLive theres not exactly probable cause to open an investigation, but rather a cumulation of general information hed like law enforcement to look into.

Across the state and in Lansing, Michigan Republicans are pushing for an investigation into Whitmers handling of nursing home policy after a reporting scandal in New York, despite data indicating the same problems do not exist in Michigan.

Michigan is below the national average in nursing-home deaths from COVID-19 and theres no evidence that Michigan has been hiding data or is an outlier in its handling of the situation.

On two different metrics, Michigan is slightly below the national average in regards to nursing home deaths: The death toll per 1,000 nursing home residents and the percentage of total COVID-19 deaths attributed to long-term care facilities. On the latter, about 31% of the states COVID-19 deaths are attributed to long-term care facilities compared to a national average of 34%.

Whitmers widely criticized policy telling nursing homes they had to accept COVID-positive patients was never actually implemented, according to Melissa Samuel, president and CEO of the Health Care Association of Michigan, which represents long-term care providers.

In April 2020, Whitmer put in place a policy ordering nursing homes to accept COVID-19-positive patients back into their facilities but paused the implementation due to a flurry of complaints and amended the order and eliminated the re-acceptance mandate in May, Samuel said.

As of data available this week, residents of long-term care facilities accounted nearly a third, or 5,563 of Michigans 16,034 COVID-19 deaths.

Michael Goetz, who oversees grievance investigations, on Monday said he could neither deny nor confirm a complaint was filed against Lucido, although a copy of the complaint has been publicized in the media.

According to Goetz, a review of any attorney complaint is conducted internally and referred to the Attorney Discipline Board if there is adequate evidence and the alleged misconduct is severe enough. That is rare.

According to Goetz, about 120 of 2,500 attorney complaints in a year are referred, at which time they become available for public inspection. Prior to that, any complaint, the resulting investigation or disciplinary action -- such as an admonition, warning or consensual probation -- remains secret from the public.

MLive has requested comment but not received response from the filers of the complaint and left a message with the Macomb County Prosecutors Office offering Lucido a chance to respond to the grievance.

Lucido defeated former judge Mary Chrzanowski in November to replace the seat left open by former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith after he resigned amid allegations that he was fraudulently spending public forfeiture funds.

More on MLive:

Nursing home cases on the decline

Republicans search for smoking gun in nursing home handling by Whitmer

Michigan to allow nursing home visits statewide

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Former Republican Sen. Lucido accused of unethically grinding political axe with Gov. Whitmer in new prosecutor role - MLive.com

Republican bill aimed at tightening voter restrictions in Texas passes Senate committee

Voices are rising against a bill headed to the Senate floor that would change a lot about how we vote in Texas.

Voices are rising against a bill headed to the Senate floor that would change a lot about how we vote in Texas.

The states Republican leadership says Senate Bill 7 is designed to prevent fraud and ensure greater election integrity. Democrats disagree.

Whats in it has many different groups saying it will hurt voter turnout, especially in places like Houston and Dallas. LULAC has already promised to go to court if Senate Bill 7 becomes law.

The National Black Voters Matter Tour rolled into Dallas Monday hoping to inspire Black people to vote

"We, the people, got power. We got power to put people in office," said Wanda Mosley with the Black Voters Matter Fund. "We got power to take people out of office. Because when we come to you with requests, we are the employers. Elected officials work for us."

But Texas is among a dozen states working to pass bills that Democrats say will make it much tougher to vote.

"This is a voter suppression bill," said State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas). "And we should not have that in Texas. Not in 2021."

West's colleagues have passed out of committee a bill Republicans say will ensure election security.

It's got Gov. Greg Abbotts approval who earlier this month said so-called "election integrity" was a top legislative priority.

Senate Bill 7 would:

"We have some real concerns about Senate Bill 7," explained Jeff Miller, a Disability Rights Texas Policy Specialist. "Forcing people to have to show proof of their disability, who's going to pay for that? Does that become a poll tax? Or is that a violation of the ADA because you now have a surcharge on them voting by mail?"

The measure would also allow poll watchers to videotape people getting assistance if they believe that assistance is unlawful, and stop local officials from encouraging voters to apply to vote by mail.

"Each of those things would modestly push down on voting, and thats the idea to place hurdles between the voter and the ballot box that some people wont get over," said SMU political science professor Cal Jillson. "Its not that everything being proposed is illegitimate. You do want ballot security. But you want to be sure that you're not engaged in voter suppression as opposed to ballot security."

"A reasonable person would look at that and say that its part of the national Republican strategy in order to suppress voters in urban areas," West said.

West says with 18 Republicans and 13 Democrats in the Senate against his opposition he expects the measure to easily pass.

Republicans also hold the advantage in the House by a healthy margin. Senate Bill 7 could make it to the governors desk this session.

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Republican bill aimed at tightening voter restrictions in Texas passes Senate committee - FOX 4 Dallas